Boiler cleaner



Feb. 19, 1935. N. I... SNOW :ET AL BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 28, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS War/276 14. 540w ATTORNEY$ Feb. 19, 1935. N L, SNOW ET 1,991,471

BOILER CLEANER Original Fi led Aug. 28, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

0 A arnwn L 5x014 Fran/r 6014/ r5 Cari/J 4. flan 5e ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1935. N.- SNOW ET AL BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 28, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet '3 C rt; H L

ATTO RN EYS Feb. 19, 1935.

N. L. SNOW Er AL BOILER CLEANER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Aug. 28

INVENTORs lvdrmeqll, J'auw Frank G 's Curbs I4. Howse.

ATTORNEY3 Feb. 19, 1935. N. 1.. SNOW ET AL BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 28, 1924 5 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTORS M maq 1 51/ Frank Cari IS Hows" ATTORNEYS of the boilertobe cleaned.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 PATENT o FncE BOILER CLEANER,

Norman L. Snow, NewCanaan, Command Frank Bowers and Curtis L. Howse, Detroit, Mich.,as signors jto' Diamond Power. Specialty Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application August 28, 1924, Serial No. 734,746. "Divided and this application March 23, 1931, Serial No. 524,724

- 5 Claims. (o1.122-391) This invention relates to boiler cleaners and has particular reference to a boiler cleanerof the character in which a blower element is.

adapted to direct cleaning fluid adjacent portions One of the, primary objects of the invention is to. provide a blowermounted for rotativeimovement and to:provide a fluid pressureiactuate'd means for eifectingza rotative movement. of this b1ower.- m Q This application is-a div'ision'of our copending application, Serial No. 734,746, filed August 28, 1924.

Other objects .and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, particularly. when reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: x I

Fig. 1 is atop plan view partly in section show ing the blowers appliedv to a locomotive boiler;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; r Fig- 3 is. a sectional. View showing. a blower-in inoperative .retractedposition; r

Fig. 3 isa detail sectional viewalong 3 3 of Fig.3;

Fig. 4 is a view alongthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig.3showing the 'blowerin projected operative position; Fig. 6 is a plan View of aIdeviceQ for autornati cally actuating a' blower; 1 r Fig.57is a sectional elevation 7--7 of'Fig'.6;. r Fig. 8 .is a sectional elevation along the line 8-'-8 of Fig.6; r Fig. 9 is an end elevation partly in section of the device shown in Fig.5; i Fig. 10 is a fragmentary. side elevation. of the device shown in Fig. 6;; and

Fig. 11 is a section through thegspeed'regulatingicylinder of the device shown'in Fig. 6. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings," 10 indi-' cates a locomotive boiler having the cab .11, boiler tubes 12 and boiler tube 5116617131; For cleaning these tubes'there are located at the sides of. the boiler, preferably extending through thewater legs 14, a pair ofrblowers. 15. These blowers are located a suitable distanc'e'from theutube sheet 13 with their nozzles 16 directedtoward the tube sheet] Each blower has a connection with a steam supply by apipe 1-7, the steamsupply being controlled by valves 18 conveniently locatedrpreferably'in the cab; The operating rods 19 are formed with'suitablehandle portions20 and: are operably connected with the blowers fas'hereinafter set-forth. I I l iv 4 along the "line 2 Referring to Fig.3, rock'arm21 is'adapted to bereciprocated with the pivot shaft 22 by. the operating rod 19 and handle 20. While the arm is shown. as manually operable :it. islobvious that I the same may'be automatically operated. The

forward end of shaft-22carries the pinion -23 keyed to the shaft. and meshing with the broad face gear 24 carried within the housing 25. .The housing 25 is providediwith a forward part26. which is. fixed within-the sleeve 27 in the water leg 14. The housing'also has a wall 28 providing abearing forthe hollow rod 29,.the rear end of which carries the gear 24. The forward end of rod 29 carries the blower head 30 .on which is mounted the nozzle 31 formed with bevel gear 32.- Bevel gear .33 meshes withthe' gear 32and is carried by shaft 34 housed within and frictionally carriedby rod 29.) The rear end of the shaft 34 has'keyed'thereto the pawl wheel 35 engaged by thepawl 36 pivotally mounted on the face ofthe-gear 24. The shaft 34 frictionally carries the segment '37 upon which is mounted the pawl 38 also engaging the 'wheel 35.: The housing .25 is. provided with the slot 39 and in the slot the'heads of theset' screws 40 andxii) are adapted to operate. The set screws may be located in any of the openings 41 in the segment 37 so as to limit the movement of the latter and vary the increment .of advance of the blower nozzle aswillbe later apparent. v r

the stationary wall 28 :and at its rear end acts upon spacing sleeve 43 and thrust bearing 44 to normally-retract the partsto the position shown in Fig.*3."-,Between the part'26 and sleeve'27 air passages 27. are provided to afford air circulation to cool-the blower. The'blower headBO, shown in Figs. 3 and 5, is provided at, the "forward end with-a protecting heat-resisting cap 45 which is removably fastened to the blower head by pins 45 This cap may be formed of any one or combination of a number of different" heat-resisting materials, examples' of which arechromium iron alloy andnickel chromium iron alloy; ,When; the" bloweriis' not in use this. cap practically seals the end of water leg sleeve 27. "The blower 'head is alsov provided with steam ports 46 between radial arms 46", as bestshown'in Fig. 3 andrelief ports 47 in arms 46,.'the latter ports communicating with a passage 48, ports 49 and'chamber 50.. Plunger 51 is carried bythe blower head 30.2.Passages 47 are fitted with "pet cocks 47 for draining the blower body of condensate. 2'.

.With' the parts in position shown in Fig. 3,..the

The spring 42 bears ,at its forward end against operation is as follows: Steam is admitted through the'pipe 17 to the chamber 52 around plunger 51 to chamber 53, through ports 46 to the nozzle 31. The nozzle and ports restrict the flow of the steam so that the steam pressure will force the blower head outwardly, carrying the parts to the position indicated'in Fig. 5. In this position the spacing sleeve contacts with the wall 28 to limit the outward movement of the parts. The outward movement of the blower head 30 carries with it rod 29 and. shaft 34 with the wheel 35, pawls 36 and 38, segment 37- and" gear 24.

Steam escaping past the rod 29 and. into chamber 50 will pass'through ports 49, passage 48. and outlet ports 47. With the parts of the blower in the projected position, the rock arm 21 is reeiprocated to oscillate pinion 23 and gear 24. When the rod is moved to'rock the gear 24 to the left or counter clockwise as shown in Fig. 4, pawl 36 will rotate wheel 35. Duringthis rotation the segment 37 which is. frictionallyw carried on the shaft 34 also swings counter-clockwise until set screw 40 contacts with the wall of the slot 39 adjacentv thereto. Throughout the remainingstroke of the rock arm 21, pawl 38 permits the rotation of rod 34 and wheel 35. by the pawl 36. Thus, it. will be noted that the blower head has been rocked with the nozzle without relative movementtherebetween, the nozzle 31 directing its jet of steam for the vertical height. ofthetube sheet.

When the rock arm 21 is operated to rotate the gear 24 in the-opposite. direction or clockwise, as shown in Fig. 4,.said'operation rotates blower head 30, shaft 34', segment. 37 and wheel all together 'until further rotation of the segment. is prevented by reason of the set screw- 40'. contacting with the wall of the slot 39. adjacent thereto.

. For the remaining movement of the rock arm 21,

sheet substantially parallel with the preceding and spaced therefrom a distance determined by the relative movement between the gears-'32, 33.

As the steam 'jets of the pair'of blowers con tinue to sweep the face of the tube sheet vertically, the change in direction of each. nozzle directs the jet in horizontal increments across the tube sheet until it reaches the center where the continued revolving of the nozzle brings it back to its original position; The nozzle thushas the combined movements imparted'by the oscillation of rod 29 and thesubstantially horizontal movement of the nozzle with respect to the tube sheet.

Referring to Fig. 6, means is provided for automatically oscillating a-blower.. The housing 25 (Fig. 3) is preferably adapted to be'removed at 54 in order to accommodate'the housing 55. The pinion 23 and rock arm 21 of the blower construction shown in Fig. 3. are also removed, the housing 55 being providedwith cylinders 56 and 57. Steam entersvalve box- 58 from a steam chamber 59 of the soot blower, this chamber corresponding to. chamber 52; of the sootblower shown in- Fig. 3, through port 60, thence through ports. 61, 62 63 and 64, to act. on thepiston 65.. In the position of the piston shown in Fig. '1, ort 66 is .un-

covered and steam is conducted from the right end of cylinder 57 through ports 66, 6'Ijand 68 to the right end of a valve 69,'forcing the valve to the left, thereby admitting steam through 111-. let ports 61', 62', 63 and-64 to. the left end of piston 65 and opening ports 64, 63"and' 62 to the exhaust. ports 70 and 71, thus allowing the right end of the cylinder 57 to exhaust to the chamber '72. From this chamber an annular passage 72 extends around piston, 65 to conduct the exhaust into the housing- 55 from which it may discharge by Way of port 55.

As the valve 69 is forced to the left, it acts on the V-shaped plunger 73 in the V-notches 74 and 75, pushing the plunger up against the compressive action of the spring 76 until the point of the plunger rides over the point '77 between the V- notches '74 and '75. As soon as this point is passed the compression of the spring 76 forces the plunger downwardly against the inclined side of the V- notch '75: to carry the valve the rest of the stroke to the left, thus preventing-a dead center. As the piston 65 moves to the right it uncovers port. '18,

exhausting the steam from the right end of'the valve 69 by way of ports 68' and 67; thence through port 78 and slot 19 milled in thepiston 65. It will be. noted that slot '79Tis in constant communication withichamber'. '12. and that'the steam maytherefore pass from slot 79 to chember 72' and from this chamber by way of passage covered and port 66" opened to exhaust: the steam in the left end of the cylinder, the steam passing 7 through ports. 66, 67', and 68: to acton the valve 69 to. force it to. the right, thus reversing the piston 65. r

A portion.- of the bottom of piston 65 is;provided with teeth 80 which engage the teeth 81 of the gear 24.". The. gear- 24' is operatively connected with a blower head and nozzle in the same manner as the gear 24 of Figs.v 3,.4 and15, the piston 65 a V automatically oscillating the gear 24 in a manner. corresponding. to the action of: the pinion 23 and lever'21 of Fig.4. 1 V i There are also provided teeth 82 111 the side of piston 65. at right angles. to the teeth 80. .The

teeth 82 engage a spur gear 83 which i's'rotatably mounted onthe bearing-84. Thegear 83 en88 8es lated by the. valve screw 88 thereby determining the speedat which the blower isoperated; a r

In operation the valve 69 automatically controls the reciprocations of: the piston65 which actuates the gear 24" to clean the boiler tubes-in a manner corresponding to that shown inFigsi 3, 4 and 5. Piston 86 serves to check the speed of operationof piston 65, the valve screw88being adjusted to. obtain the desired speed. v

From the above it-will be noted that the invention provides a blower which is mounted for reciprocation and also. for rotative. movement The arrangement is such that when cleaning fluid isisupplied to. the blower, the latter is projected to its blowing. position and is. oscillated by the piston 65 and associated structure. r

invention provides means actuated by the pressure of the cleaning fluid for imparting a rotative movement, to the blower element in addition to means actuated by the pressure of the cleaning fluid for eflecting a projection of the blower to its operative position.

For the sake of convenience the invention has been described as being incorporated in a device for cleaning boilers. Itwill be apparent, however, that the inventive principles disclosed may be incorporated in devices for cleaning apparatuses similar to boilers, and it is to be therefore understood that the term boiler wherever used throughout the specification and claims is to be construed asmeaning a fluid heater or heat transfer apparatus of any character, while the term boiler cleaner is to be construed as meaning a cleaner for any such apparatus.

While two embodiments of the invention have been described with somedetail, it'is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration only and that the right is reserved to make such changesin the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe reciprocative and oscillative in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe'to be ejected by the nozzle, a'prime mover for reciprocating the pipe, a second prime mover for oscillating the pipe'to sweep back and forth the jet emitted from the nozzle, and means common to both prime movers for controlling the operation of the same.

2. In a soot blower, the combination, with a casing, of a pipe reciprocative and oscillative in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected by the nozzle, a prime mover for reciprocating the pipe, a second prime mover including a reciprocative element, and mechanism for translating reciprocative movement into oscillative movement connecting the reciprocative element with the pipe to impart oscillative movement to said pipe.

3; In a soot blower, the combination witha casing, of a pipe oscillative and reciprocative in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projectingbeyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected from the nozzle, means including a prime mover and power transmitting mechanism for oscillating the pipe, 9. power driven motor for reciprocating the pipe in the casing to vary the projection of the nozzle with relation to the casing, and a common control for the prime mover and the motor.

4. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe reciprocative and rotative in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected by the nozzle, a-

power driven motor for reciprocating the pipe to vary the projection of the nozzle with relation to the casing, mechanism for oscillating the pipe to sweep the jet. emitted from the nozzle, a second power driven motor for actuating the mechanism for oscillating the pipe, and means common to same.

5. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe reciprocative and rotative in the pressure fluid motor for actuating the mechanism for oscillating the pipe, pressure fluid supply pipes communicating with both motors, and a conmion control valve for the supply pipes of both motors.

NORMAN L. sNow. FRANK BOWERS. CURTIS L. HOWSE.

25 both motors for controlling "the action of the 

